Machine for treating pig carcasses, more particularly head and legs



Feb. 21, 1967 FREDERlKSEN 3,304,575

MACHINE FOR TREATING PIG CARCASSES, MORE PARTICULARLY HEAD AND LEGSFiled Feb. 10. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1967 H. E. FREDERIKSEN 3,304,575

MACHINE FOR TREATING PIG CARCASSES, MORE PARTICULARLY HEAD AND LEGSFiled Feb. 10. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,304,575MACHINE FOR TREATING PIG CARCASSES, MORE PARTICULARLY HEAD AND LEGS HansEdvard Frederiksen, Islevdalvej 137-143, Copenhagen-Bronshoj, DenmarkFiled Feb. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 431,650 Claims priority, applicationDenmark, Feb. 10, 1964, 630/64, 631/64 11 Claims. (CI. 17-17) Theinvention relates to a machine for treating pig carcasses, moreparticularly head and legs, by means of rotating brushes withcomparatively rigid, radial spikes, the carcasses being suspended bytheir legs from a conveyor moving them through a packing house.

It is common practice to scrape the surface of the carcasses by means ofa scraping machine with resilient metal lamellae. Such machines are notcapable of treating the areas near the head nor the legs with sufficienteffectiveness, and the mechanical treatment has therefore to be followedby a manual after-treatment by means of scraping knives or rotatingbrushes which are carried and guided by hand. This manual treatmentrequires the full working hours of several operators and is'acomparatively strenuous and unpleasant work, since water has usually tobe supplied to the points of treatment.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a convenientlyadapted machine by means of which the said work may be performedautomatically and mechanically so that the manual Work is whollyeliminated.

In order to mechanize such operations a machine has to be adapted insuch manner that the carcass is subjected to treatment at all placesleft untreated by the preceding scraping machine, and the treatment hasto be reasonably uniform so that no parts of the carcass are subjectedto a heavier pressure and consequently a harder brushing than otherparts. Since the brushing ope-ration hitherto performed manually hasactually to be considered as a finish treatment very suitable, indeed,for manual operation and carried out according to expert judgment, amachine which is to imitate the said operation has to possess specialcharacteristics and to be very closely adapted to this particular work.

It has been found that a machine according to the present invention iscapable of satisfying these requirements and of performing a treatmentthat is very close to and, indeed, often superior to an individuallyadapted manual treatment, since, of course, the latter treatment dependsupon the skill and care of the operators.

The essential feature of the machine according to the invention is thatit has a plurality of brushes whose axes of rotation are substantiallyparallel with the suspended conveyor. The said brushes are mounted onfixed elements in the factory in such a manner, however, that they arecapable of pivoting in a vertical plane, substantially at right anglesto the suspended conveyor, the brushes being disposed at various levelsand at varying distances from a vertical plane through the conveyor.

Such a machine makes heavy demands on the quality of the brushes, sincethe forced guidance of the carcass between the brushes and e.g. anyturning of the carcass, will expose the brushes to actions more powerfulthan those usually occurring when the brushes are passed over thecarcasses by manual operation. An effective treatment of all surfaceareas of the carcass by mechanical operation will usually cause heavierbendings of the spikes, and it has been found that brushes of the kindhitherto used, in which the rectilinear spikes have so far been made ofplant fibres or steel wire, are inadequate for the purpose. Owing to thepowerful bending inevitably occurring at fully mechanical treatment,such spikes become ineffective and rapidly lose their elasticity, and areduced efifect of the brushes is, of course, not liable to be perceivedas propmtly in an automatically operating machine as in a manuallyoperated brush. According to the present invention there is provided anentirely new brush design permitting full utilisation of the automaticmachine and rendering its perfect operation possible over a long period.

According to this aspect of the invention each brush consists of aplurality of plastic elements mounted beside each other and eachcomposed of a hub portion and a plurality of spikes moulded integralwith same. Each of the said spikes extends radially from the hubportion, the outer part of the spike being bent along a curve of greatradius so that the spike points into the direction of rotation of thebrush.

In a suitable embodiment the hub portions may be composed of a number ofsegments, each carrying a corresponding number of spikes, and the saidsegments may have means for engaging the other segments of the hubportion involved and further be provided on each side with engagementmeans to fix the hub portions in relation to the adjacent hub portions.The engaging means may conveniently be so adapted that the hub segmentsare staggered peripherally in relation to each other. All the hubportions may be assembled by means of two discs having guide means toengage the guide means provided on the sides of the outer hub portions.It is furthermore preferred to have radial holes in the hub portions sothat water can be supplied to the spikes from the space surrounded bythe hub portions.

An embodiment of a machine according to the invention will now bedescribed with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation through the first section of themachine, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the suspended conveyor,

FIGURE 2 is the second section, viewed in the same direction,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic showing of the upper part of the machine withthe lower brushes removed,

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of the lower part of the machine,

FIGURE 5 is a brush unit, viewed in perspective,

FIGURE 6 is a brush segment, viewed from the side,

FIGURE 7 is the hub segment according to FIGURE 6, viewed from theopposite side,

FIGURE 8 is an axial section through four hub segments, and

FIGURE 9 a section through a brush according to the invention, viewed'from the side.

By means of a carrying rail 1 of a suspended conveyor pig carcasses 2are advanced automatically in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE 3and the machine according to the invention is surrounded by screens 3enclosing two successive compartments I and II which constitute the twosections of the machine. Between the said sections is provided amechanism 4 known per se and adapted to turn the carcass about avertical axis.

At the upper end of the first section are mounted two brushes 5 and 6 onone side of a vertical plane through the carrying rail 1. According toFIGURE 1 the said two brushes are located at the same distance from thecarrying rail, but at slightly different levels. On the other side ofthe said plane is provided a brush 7 at a slightly lower level than thebrushes 5 and 6.

At the lower end of the section 1 are provided two brushes 8 and 9 onthe same side as the brushes 5 and 6, substantially at the same distancefrom the vertical plane 10 through the carrying rail 1 as the discs 5and 6, and

3 on the opposite side of the said plane are provided two brushes 11 and12.

As will appear from FIGURE 5, each brush is mounted on abar 13 whichtogether with another bar 14 constitutes a bracket pivotally supportedon a fixed frame (not shown) in such manner that the bar 13 may bepivoted in a vertical plane about the axis of rotation 15 of thebracket. To the bracket is attached a motor 16 driving the brush 5, andthe bracket is so formed that the force of gravity acting on the unit inthe working position of the brush will tend to force the said unittowards the plane 10 so that the brush is pressed against the surface ofthe carcass 2.

The bracket 13 may be provided with an adjustable guide rod 23 (FIGURE5) to keep the carcass at a definite distance from the brush disc 5during the passage of the carcass.

There may also be provided a feeler member which cooperates with thepigs head and is capable of-via an adjustment mechanismautomaticallyadjusting the level of the brush discs in accordance with the varyinglengths of the different pigs.

The brush, which is shown in detail in FIGURES 6-9, consists of aplurality of hub portions mounted side by side to form a tube 24 (FIGURE9). Each annular hub portion is composed of a number of segments 25moulded of a suitable plastic material of the necessary strength andflexibility, and being in particular capable of resisting a multitude ofbendings. As will appear from FIGURE 6, the segment 25 carries aplurality of spikes 26, only five of these, however, being shown, but itis to be understood that the spikes are everywhere as densely disposedas indicated in the left-hand side of the figure.

Each spike is formed as a lamella of a width somewhat greater than itsthickness as will appear from FIG- URE 8, and the flat part of thelamella is facing the direction of rotation of the brush, indicated byan arrow in FIGURE 6. From the said figure it will be seen that eachspike 26 has its lower rectilinear part extending radially from the hubsegment 25 while its upper part 27 is bent along a curve ofcomparatively great radius and having the spike ends pointing forwardlyin the d1rectron of rotation. This is a very essential design with aview to ensure effective treatment of the carcass surface by the spikes.Each hub segment 25 is provided with a pro ecting part 28 which isadapted to be received in a corresponding recess 29 at the end of thesuccess ve hub segment and to be attached thereto by snap action, pms 30on either side of the projection 28 engaging holes 31. On either side ofeach hub segment are furthermore provided peripherally extending grooves32 and ribs 33. As will appear from FIGURE 8, the ribs 33 engage thegrooves 32, and owing to the arrangement of these the segments 25 canonly be mounted beside each other in staggered relationship, so that thejoints between the individual segments of an annular hub portion arestaggered in relation to the hub portions located side by side.

As will appear from FIGURE 9, the hub portions are assembled by means ofdiscs 34 and 35 which are resting in contact with the outwardly facingsides of the outer hub portions, and they are provided withcorresponding ribs and grooves such as shown in FIGURE 8 to engage thegrooves 32 and the ribs 33 of the hub segments. The whole brush is verysecurely assembled by means of a nut 36 on a shaft 37.

The shaft 37, which is identical with the shaft of the electromotor 16,is provided with a passage 38 which opens into the inner space 39 thatis surrounded by the hub portions 25, and as will appear from FIGURE 8the hub portions have radial passages 40 communicating at their lowerend with the space 39. Water supplied through the passage 38 may thus beconveyed to all the brush spikes 26 so that these are cleaned and thesurface of the carcass supplied with water during its treatment.

In comparatively small brushes it is not necessary to build up the hubportions of segments 25. It will be possible to mould the hub portionsas integral annular members carrying all the spikes 26, but in the caseof large brushes it will often be necessary for purposes of manufactureto assemble the hub rings of segments.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotatable brush for treating a pig carcass comprising an assemblyof a plurality of arcuate hub portions, each of said hub portionsinterlocked axially and circumferentially with similar hub portions toform said brush, each of said hub portions consisting of a substantiallyrigid, arcuate rail member provided with a plurality of spike members,each of said spike members being integrally attached at one end thereofto the outer surface of said arcuate rail member and extendingsubstantially radially therefrom and having an axial width at the pointof attachment to the arcuate rail member substantially equal to theaxial width of said arcuate rail member, and each of said spike membersat the other end being curved in the direction of rotation of saidbrush.

2. The rotatable brush of claim 1 wherein each arcuate rail member isprovided at opposite arcuate ends with means circumferentiallyinterlocking said hub portion with arcuately adjacent similar hubportions.

3. The rotatable brush of claim 2 wherein said interlocking meansincludes on one of said opposite ends of said arcuate rail memberprojection means on the surface thereof with pin means, and on the otherend of said arcuate rail member recess means having aperture meansremovably engaging the projection means of the next circumferentiallysimilar adjacent hub portion whereby the pin means of said next adjacenthub portion is yieldably received into said aperture means.

4. The rotatable brush of claim 1 wherein opposite sides of each arcuaterail member are provided with means axially interlocking said hubportion with axially adjacent similar hub portions.

5. The rotatable brush of claim 4 wherein said axial interlocking meansincludes on each of said opposed sides of said arcuate rail membergroove means and rib means, the groove means of one of said opposedsides being in substantial alignment with a rib means of the other ofsaid opposed sides, said groove means and rib means interlocking withrib means and groove means respectively of similar and axially adjacenthub portions whereby said interlocked hub portions are incircumferential staggered relation with each other.

6. The rotatable brush of claim 1 wherein each of said arcuate railmembers is provided with a radial aperture opening between adjacentspike members to provide passage of water to said adjacent spikemembers.

7. The rotatable brush of claim 1 including means for securing saidcircumferentially and axially interlocked plurality of hub portions inassembled relationship comprising disc means mounted on the outermostsides of the assembled hub portions and having correspondinginterlocking means engaged with the grooves and ribs of said outermostsides of said assembled hub portions.

8. A hub member adaptable to be assembled in axial and circumferentialinterlocking relation with similar hub portions to provide a rotatablebrush for treating a pig carcass comprising a substantially rigidarcuate rail member provided with a plurality of spike members, each ofsaid spike members being integrally attached at one end thereof to theouter surface of said arcuate rail member and extending substantiallyradially therefrom and having an axial width at the point of attachmentto said rail member substantially equal to the axial width of said railmember, each of said spike members at the other end being curved, saidarcuate rail member being provided at opposite arcuate ends with meansfor circumferentially interlocking said hub portion with arcuatelyadjacent similar hub portions, said circumferential interlocking meanscomprising projection means provided on the surface thereof with pinmeans at one of said opposed ends and recess means provided withaperture means at the other of said opposed ends, said recess meansadapted to removably engage similar projection means of a nextcircumferentially adjacent similar hub portion whereby said pin means ofsaid next adjacent hub portion is yieldably received into said aperturemeans and wherein opposed sides of said arcuate rail member are providedwith means for axially interlocking said hub portion with axiallyadjacent similar hub portions comprising groove means and rib means oneach opposed side, the groove means of one of said opposed sides beingin substantial alignment with the rib means of the other of said opposedsides, said groove means and rib means adaptable to interlock with ribmeans and groove means respectively of similar and axially adjacent hubportions whereby said interlocked hub portions are in circumferentialstaggered relation with each other.

9. The hub member of claim 8 wherein said arcuate rail member isprovided With a radial aperture opening between adjacent spike membersto provide passage of water to said adjacent spike members.

10. A hub member adaptable to be assembled in axial interlockingrelation with similar hub members to provide a rotatable brush fortreating a pig carcass comprising a substantially rigid annular railmember provided with a plurality of spike members, each of said spikemembers being integrally attached at one end thereof to the outersurface of said annular rail member and extending substantially radiallytherefrom and having an axial width at the point of attachment to saidrail member substantially equal to the axial width of said rail member,each of said spike members at the other end being curved, opposed sidesof said annular rail member being provided with means for axiallyinterlocking said hub member with axially adjacent similar hub memberscomprising groove means and rib means on each opposed side, the groovemeans of one of said opposed sides being in substantial alignment withthe rib means of the other of said opposed sides, said groove means andrib means adaptable to interlock with rib means and groove meansrespectively of similar and axially adjacent hub members.

11. A rotatable brush for treating a pig carcass comprising an assemblyof a plurality of annular hub members, each of said hub membersinterlocked axially with similar hub members to form said brush, each ofsaid hub members consisting of a substantially rigid annular rail memberprovided with a plurality of spike members, each of said spike membersbeing integrally attached at one end thereof to the outer surface ofsaid annular rail member and extending substantially radially therefromand having an axial width at the point of attachment to the annular railmember substantially equal to the axial width of said annular railmember, each of said spike members at the other end being curved in thedirection of rotation of said brush and opposed sides of each of saidannular rail members being provided with axial interlocking meanscomprising groove means and rib means, the groove means of one of saidopposed sides being in substantial alignment with the rib means of theother of said opposed sides, said groove means and rib meansinterlocking with rib means and groove means respectively of similar andaxially adjacent hub members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 882,719 3/1908Smith 17--14 889,716 6/1908 Preston 1716 1,332,401 3/1920 Kohlhepp 17-181,617,002 2/1927 Zerbe 17-14 2,492,065 12/1949 Rayburn 17-18 X 3,021,5572/1962 Pinta et a1. 1717 3,119,145 1/1964 Weprin 1714 X LUCIE H.LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner.

10. A HUB MEMBER ADAPTABLE TO BE ASSEMBLED IN AXIAL INTERLOCKINGRELATION WITH SIMILAR HUB MEMBERS TO PROVIDE A ROTATABLE BRUSH FORTREATING A PIG CARCASS COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID ANNULAR RAILMEMBER PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPIKE MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID SPIKEMEMBERS BEING INTEGRALLY ATTACHED AT ONE END THEREOF TO THE OUTERSURFACE OF SAID ANNULAR RAIL MEMBER AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLYTHEREFROM AND HAVING AN AXIAL WIDTH AT THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT TO SAIDRAIL MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE AXIAL WIDTH OF SAID RAIL MEMBER,EACH OF SAID SPIKE MEMBERS AT THE OTHER END BEING CURVED, OPPOSED SIDESOF SAID ANNULAR RAIL MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR AXIALLYINTERLOCKING SAID HUB MEMBER WITH AXIALLY ADJACENT SIMILAR HUB MEMBERSCOMPRISING